Delhi High Court Orders Third-Party Audit Of MCD, DDA Public Toilets

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to get an audit done from a Union Government empanelled third-party auditor. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Jan Sewa Welfare Society to ensure the availability of hygienic public urinals with clean water and electricity supply in the city.The bench asked the authorities to file a response stating whether their grievance redressal platform for raising a complaint for unhygienic toilets is functional.“MCD, DDA and NDMC are directed to get an audit done from a central government empanelled third party auditor,” the court said. In December last year, the court directed the MCD and DDA to ensure that the public urinals and toilets in the national capital are clean, hygienic, and in order.It had also asked the civic authorities to appoint one officer in charge of each toilet for its monitoring.Previously, the court had called for the implementation of a complaint reporting system for public toilets to ensure that such conveniences are maintained with proper sanitation standards.The court had said that the civic authorities i.e. DDA, MCD, and Delhi Cantonment Board, must validate that the displayed contact numbers are operational, to ensure that the public can report any concerns or inconveniences directly.Observing that the concerns raised by the petitioner society are significant and warrant attention, the bench had observed that it is incumbent upon the authorities to ensure that public toilets and conveniences are maintained with proper sanitation standards.The plea seeks directions on the respondents to inspect all available and functionally constructed public urinals in Delhi and to initiate steps for the construction of more public toilets.It states that the general public in Delhi faces various issues due to poor maintenance of public toilets which are not properly maintained and also lack hygiene. It adds that lack of proper sanitation causes a “disgusting atmosphere” and infectious diseases which may cause societal hazards.Title: Jan Seva Welfare Society (Reg.) v. Union of India and Ors.Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Del) 227

Delhi High Court Orders Third-Party Audit Of MCD, DDA Public Toilets

Nupur Thapliyal

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